Browsed by
Tag: Letters About Literature

Meet the winners of Washington’s 2019 Letters About Literature Contest

Meet the winners of Washington’s 2019 Letters About Literature Contest

Letters About Literature is an annual writing contest for youth where students are asked to write a letter to an author — living or deceased — whose book has changed the way the student writer sees the world. Each year the letters are incredible, poignant, and well written. Since 2005, the Washington State Library, a division of the Office of the Secretary of State, has been involved in judging the contest. In 2018, the Washington Center for the Book, a…

Read More Read More

Washington Letters About Literature Champion recognized by Library of Congress

Washington Letters About Literature Champion recognized by Library of Congress

We are very pleased to announce that Washington’s Level 2 champion in the state Letters About Literature competition, Riya Sharma, was selected as a National Honor Award winner for her letter about The Confidence Code. Riya is an 8th grade student at The Overlake School in Redmond. Our judges weren’t surprised at all by her national recognition. Here’s what they said about Riya’s letter: “Ms. Sharma’s letter stood out among many well written entries and did an excellent job of connecting…

Read More Read More

Letters About Literature winners with Sec. Wyman
Watch the Letters About Literature 2018 Awards Ceremony

Watch the Letters About Literature 2018 Awards Ceremony

For the past 13 years, the Washington State Library has sponsored a contest called Letters About Literature. The straightforward contest asks students in grades 4-12 to write a letter to an author about how his or her book changed their view of the world or themselves. We wrote a little about the contest earlier in the year. Each year when the letters written by Washington students arrive, we read them and cannot believe the depth of feeling and insight contained in…

Read More Read More

Letters About Literature: Much more than just a contest

Letters About Literature: Much more than just a contest

What do you get when you combine books, students, writing and a national contest? You get hope for the future and the country, and the knowledge that we are all in good hands for the future. Washington state has participated in the Letters About Literature contest since 2005, and it is a favorite for everyone who has experienced it. What makes it so great is, simply put, the letters. Unlike the book reports we all remember from our school days,…

Read More Read More

WSL Updates for December 7, 2017

WSL Updates for December 7, 2017

Volume 13, December 7, 2017 for the WSL Updates mailing list Topics include: 1) LETTERS ABOUT LITERATURE 2018 2) EMOTIONAL INTELLIGENCE WORKSHOPS 3) ZINES CONTEST DEADLINE NEAR 4) EVALUATE HEALTH APPS 5) IMLS GRANT OPPORTUNITY 6) FREE CE OPPORTUNITIES NEXT WEEK ————————————————————————————————————— 1) LETTERS ABOUT LITERATURE 2018 The Letters About Literature contest encourages young readers in grades 4-12 to read a book and write a letter to the author about how the book changed their view of the world or…

Read More Read More

WSL Updates for October 19, 2017

WSL Updates for October 19, 2017

Volume 13, October 19, 2017 for the WSL Updates mailing list Topics include: 1) LETTERS ABOUT LITERATURE 2) THINK, DO, SHOW – LAST CHANCE 3) ORDERING FREE BOOKS FROM WSL 4) ALA POLICY CORPS 5) MORE IMLS MUSEUM GRANTS 6) FREE CE OPPORTUNITIES NEXT WEEK ————————————————————————————————————— 1) LETTERS ABOUT LITERATURE The 2018 Letters About Literature (LAL) contest has launched. LAL is a nationwide competition which encourages young readers in grades 4-12 to read a book and write a letter to…

Read More Read More

Letters About Literature
Writing contest champions share their winning letters

Writing contest champions share their winning letters

Three Washington students showed that the emotional power and inspiration of the written word is as strong as ever. The three state champions in this year’s Letters About Literature contest read aloud their winning entries before a large audience in the Capitol Friday, sharing life lessons they learned from authors who inspired them. Sponsored by the Washington State Library – a division of the Office of Secretary of State – and the Library of Congress, the competition encourages students to…

Read More Read More

State Library kicks off Letters About Literature, Zine contests

State Library kicks off Letters About Literature, Zine contests

The State Library just launched not one but two contests for Washington students. One is a perennial favorite and the other capitalizes on an alternative art form that allows for self-expression. For the 12th straight year, the State Library is co-sponsoring the Letters About Literature contest as part of Washington Reads. The competition encourages students to write letters to their favorite authors, living or dead, about how their book changed the student’s view of the world or himself or herself….

Read More Read More

Washington State’s Letters About Literature Contest for 2016 is underway.

Washington State’s Letters About Literature Contest for 2016 is underway.

“I truly believe that without your book, I wouldn’t be here writing this letter to you today.” Teresa Zhan 2014 Level 3 winner “The moment I started reading your books it changed me! “ Emily Cordero, 2014 Level 2 winner “Pastwatch showed me that to be the person I want to be, I must face my fears and voice my beliefs – even if they are different from the beliefs of people around me.” Owen Bernstein, 2013 Level 2 winner…

Read More Read More

Letters About Literature contest has begun!

Letters About Literature contest has begun!

One of our office’s favorite contests for schoolkids is under way. The Letters About Literature competition encourages students to write letters to their favorite authors, living or dead, and explain how a particular book by the author changed their view of the world or themselves. The contest, co-sponsored by the Washington State Library, is for schoolchildren and homeschooled students in grades 4-12. Secretary of State Kim Wyman: “Books inspire kids of all ages. A good book can make them think…

Read More Read More